Oregon’s embattled state forester Peter Daugherty resigns

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s state forester and the leader of the long-struggling Department of Forestry, Peter Daugherty, has resigned effective May 31. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Friday that Daugherty had submitted his resignation to the state Board of Forestry. Daugherty has led the agency since 2016, and his tenure has been marked by department financial problems, a dysfunctional relationship with the Board of Forestry and the loss of state lawmakers’ confidence. That’s all as the agency is looking for an infusion of new resources to better respond to increasingly severe wildfire seasons. Daugherty’s resignation comes following a scathing report from an outside accounting consultant which described a fundamental lack of agency financial controls and oversight.